Shoe.



E.. D. GALLAGHER.

A K sHos.

APPLICATION `FILED JMLZ). 1915. v

- PatentedSept. 7, 1915.

Z SHEETS-SHEET E..D. GALLAGHER.

.51405.` APPLICATION IILED IAN. 25. 1915.

mzssa.

PatentedSept.- 7, 1915 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

will balance the foot perfectly and will distribute the weight of the body equally on both sides of the foot, thus causing the muscles at both sides of the foot to be exercised without any undue straining of the tendons at either side and without straining the tendons at the ankle bones.

An important feature of the present invention associated with the above described construction of shoe or the equivalent, resides in an arched formation which extends i jacross the anterior part of the foot. To this end there is located to lone side and preferably a little to the rear of the point of locam in F ig. 7 which would otherwise drop' tion of the big toe 'joint at 24, a transverse arch, hump or' convexity 24h built in the shoe itself. This conveXity forms a support for the metatarsal bones indicated at -outer side of the shoe at 17.-

rThe abnormal inward offset of the shank ofthe sole and the arched, abnormally outset, portion or platform of the waist of the shoe, acting upon the foot in the manner before 4described throw and hold the foot without strain tosuch position that the full benefit and advantage of the upward conveXity or bulge 24J in the sole insupporting the metatarsal bones, can be felt and. appreciated by the wearer ofthe shoe; in fact even more so than if only the advantage of said convexity orv bulge 24h was present.

Consequently all the parts of the improved shoe work together and in harmony toproe duce the best results in overcoming foot troubles. y

Preferably the sole .of the shoe is made of flexible yielding leather, making the shoe substantially non-resisting and allowing full development of the muscles of the foot while walking. Of course in order to produce the transverse arch, hump or convexity 24h, the leather of the sole is molded to shape, to which endv the said leather is f fually wet so that it may be molded. lne described shoe is preferably formedon a last which forms the subject of a separate application filed by me on yeven date herewith. v

lV hat I claim is l. In a shoe, a sole having an otherwise unsupported upward conveXity or bulge molded in the material thereof at a location which falls under the metatarsal bones, for supporting the latter, incombination with a foot-inclosing portion secured to said sole.

2. ln a shoe, the combination of a sole having a shank which is abnormally ofset at its outer edge relatively to a straight i line which equally divides thoseutransverse portions of the heel and forepart which are directly contiguous to the end portions of said shank, and the inner edge of said shank abnormally offset inwardly relatively to the inner edge of said forepart, said sole al-'o having an upward convexity or bulge four d in the material thereof at a location which falls under the metatarsal bones, for supporting thelatter, with an upper foot-inclosing portion secured to., said sole and having an arch portion in its waist, which is extended abnormally outward relatively to the inner edgevof the shank;

v 3. A sole having an otherwise unsupport#V ed upward convexity or bulge molded in the material thereof at a location which vfalls. under the metatarsal bones; for supporting .part thereof, an upwardly presented convexity,l or bulge having a transverse dimension sufficientl to cause the bulge to underlie a ,plu.val1ty of metatarsal bones, .whereby they may be, conjointly supported.

" Signed at New Yorkh N. Y., this 23rd day of January 191,5. Y

EDWARD- D. GLLAGHER. lllVitnesses:

WILLIAM T. BRYANs, GEO. L. VVHEELOCK. 

